Cetuximab in platinum-ineligible patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Consensus from India
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT: Locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (LA-SCCHN) are one of the most common cancers globally and in India. Though many treatment options are available for LA-SCHHN, chemotherapy administered concurrently with radiotherapy (CCRT) is the most common treatment modality. Cisplatin-based CCRT is the guideline-recommended standard of care (SoC) in definitive and adjuvant settings. However, cisplatin-based CCRT often fails or cannot be administered due to toxicity. Hence, 60% of LA-SCCHN patients experience locoregional recurrence, and 20% experience distant metastasis. Many of these patients are cisplatin-ineligible/unfit due to absolute or relative contraindications; thus, continued cisplatin-based CCRT is unsuitable for them. Hence, alternative treatment strategies have been suggested for cisplatin-unfit LA-SCCHN patients and include docetaxel, carboplatin, and cetuximab-based regimens. Of these, docetaxel and carboplatin-based regimens have an unfavorable toxicity profile when compared with cetuximab-based regimens. Additionally, cetuximab-based regimens have demonstrated good locoregional control (LRC), improved disease-free survival (DFS), and OS (including 5-year OS) in LA-SCCHN patients. Therefore, Indian and international guidelines recommend cetuximab-based regimens for cisplatin-ineligible/unfit LA-SCCHN patients, Cetuximab is a costly drug for Indian patients. However, with the availability of cetuximab biosimilars, it has become possible to extend the drug's benefits to cisplatin-ineligible/unfit LA-SCCHN patients in India. Hence, this Expert opinion from India was organized, and nine consensus statements were drafted to highlight the various clinical settings where cetuximab-based regimens can benefit cisplatin-ineligible/unfit LA-SCCHN patients. An attempt was also made to understand the burden and causes of cisplatin ineligibility and toxicity in Indian patients.
Source: Indian Journal of Cancer
Authors: Agarwala Vivek, Aggarwal Shyam, Agrawal Shyam, M V Chandrakanth, Choudhary Vaibhav, S Dattatreya Palanki, Gore Adwaita, Kapoor Akhil, Kumar Prabhash, M Lokeshwar Nilesh, M Vamshi Krishna, K Vaid Ashok, N P Mohapatra, B Parekh Bhavesh, Patel Kaushal, Saha Rajat, Singh Ashish, Singh Randeep, Talreja Vikas, S Udupa Karthik, Gajanan Panchal, Maneesha Khalse, Gurunath Chavan
Institutions: Narayana Health, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial Hospital, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Care Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Lupin Pharmaceuticals (India)
Language: English
Topic: Head and Neck Cancer Studies
Subfield: Otorhinolaryngology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7134234153